Many households use water filters to remove impurities from water. Typically these filters connect to a kitchen sink faucet. One type of filtration material comprises activated granulated charcoal. Charcoal removes organic materials and various solids. Another type of filtration material employed is a metallic particulate. The metal particles remove inorganic materials through an ion exchange.
Previously, when a filtration system utilized both of these materials, they have been enclosed in either separate containers or in the same container. When they are in the same container, the two separate filtration materials are placed in a single chamber in contact with each other. Coming into direct contact with each other may have a detrimental effect on the operating efficiency and life expectancy.
Also, the flow of the liquid proceeds in the same direction through each filtration material when they are both in the same chamber. the disadvantage to this is that the charcoal material works best in a condition where the flow is downward. This compacts the materials. The metallic particulate works best in an upflow condition with the flow reducing compaction.
When these materials are enclosed in separate containers, the flow direction and compaction can be controlled for each one. This provides for an optimum design, but it increases the cost and size in a point-of-use, household filtration unit.